Paper bag dispenser



May 26, 1970 L. w. HEIN PAPER BAG DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 22, 1968 INVENTOR. LESTER W. HUN

BY I

ATTORNEYS May 26, 1970 1.. w. HEIN PAPER BAG DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 22, 1968 INVENTOR. ESTER w. HEIN ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,514,015 PAPER BAG DISPENSER Lester W. Hein, 1526 E. Alton, Independence, Mo. 64055 Filed July 22, 1968, Ser. No. 746,573 Int. Cl. A47k 10/24 U.S. Cl. 221-47 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for dispensing a single bag from a stack of folded paper .bags is formed of an open wire basket having a bed and opposed ends and opposed sides substantially at right angles to each other for receiving the stack of folded paper bags. Bag holding means are pivotally mounted on the dispenser and yieldingly engage the foremost or top bag in the stack. The bed has means therein for receiving support projections extending outwardly from a support surface where-by the dispenser is supported against movement during removal of said foremost bag from said stack.

This invention relates to paper bag dispensers and more particularly to wire basket dispensers having biased bag engaging members yieldingly engaging an outer surface of the foremost bag in a stack of folded paper bags within said dispenser to retain said bags therein for individual removal.

The principal objects of the present invention are: to provide an open paper bag dispenser adapted to be easily mounted on and removed from a support surface, such as a wall, upper or lower surface of a shelf or counter top, or the like; to provide such an open paper bag top dispenser which is lightweight and rigid; to provide such an open paper bag dispenser which yieldingly holds a top or foremost bag of a stack of folded paper bags in a position to be easily grasped for removal from the stack; to provide such an open paper bag dispenser in which filling the dispenser with the stack of folded paper bags is easily accomplished; to provide such an open paper bag dispenser having simple and efiicient means for exerting a constant yielding pressure on at least one end portion of the stack of folded paper bags with a pressure which remains substantially constant irrespective to the thickness of the stack; and to provide such an open paper bag dispenser which is simple in construction, durable in operation, economical to manufacture, and efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth by way of illustration and example certain embodiments of this invention.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an open paper bag dispenser embodying features of the present invention with portions of a stack of folded paper bags broken away to show the operating parts therein.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the open paper bag dispenser.

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the open paper bag dispenser.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a paper bag folded for use in the dispenser.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of the paper bag dispenser.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the modified paper bag dispenser.

FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the modified paper bag dispenser.

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Referring more in detail to the drawings:

The reference numeral 1 generally designates a paper bag dispenser for dispensing folded paper bags 2 from a stack 3 containing a plurality thereof. The dispenser 1 is an open container having a 'bed 4 and opposed ends 5 and 6 and opposed sides 7 and 8 substantially at right angles to each other therebp defining an open top container for receiving the stack 3 of folded paper bags 2 therein. The dispenser has an elongate generally U-shaped bag engaging and holding member 9 movable within the open top container for engaging and yieldingly holding within the container the top or foremost bag 2 of the stack 3.

Each of the folded paper bags 2 has a front side 10 and a rear side 11 connected by opposed edges 12 and 13 which are each folded inwardly thereby leaving the sides 10 and 11 flat. The front side 10 is illustrated as having a fold 14 so that a bottom portion 15 of the bag 2 may have one flap or tab 16 folded downwardly over the front side 10. The flap or tab 16 forms one edge of the bottom portion 15 and the other edge of the bottom portion 15 is connected to the bottom of the rear side 11. The paper bag 2 is adapted to be opened by unfolding the edges 12 and 13 whereby various articles of merchandise may be placed in the bag 2 through an open top portion 17.

The dispenser 1 is a rigid, lightweight container ineluding a plurality of spaced elongate bed rods 18 each having opposed upturned ends 19 and 20 substantially at right angles with a bed portion 21 thereof. The bed portions 21 of the bed rods 18 are transversely spaced across the bed 4 and transverse bed rods 22 are connected to bed portion 21 of each of the elongate bed rods 18 thereby forming the container bed 4. At least two of the transverse bed rods 22 have an outstanding U-shaped bend or bight 23 intermediate the ends thereof adapted to receive a support projection 24 extending outwardly from a suitable support surface 25, such as a wall, upper or lower surface of a shelf, counter top, or the like. Each of the U-shaped bends 23 is positioned between the bed portion 21 of two of the elongate bed rods 18 and in the illustrated structure each of the U-shaped bends 23 extends toward one of the opposed ends as for example end 5, and the bends or b-ights 23 are within the plane of the transverse bed rods 22 and each of the U-shaped bends 23 is aligned on a longitudinal axis 26 of the bed 4. It is often desirable to support the dispenser 1 with the bed 4 positioned as the top of the dispenser therefore the projections 24 each have enlarged portions 27 and 28 for engaging the respective bend 23. In the illustrated structure, the enlarged portions 27 and 28 each have a length corresponding to the thickness of the bed portions 21 whereby the projections 24 do not extend into the container.

A pair of elongate end bars 29 and 30 are mounted at the top of the opposed upturned ends 19 and 20 respectively of each of the elongate bed bars 18 thereby completing the opposed ends 5 and 6 of the dispenser 1. Top bars 31 and 32 each have one end connected to and extend outwardly from opposite ends of each of the elongate end bars 29 and 30. A side bar 33 depends from the opposite or other end of each of the top bars 31 and 32 substantially at right angles thereto and substantially parallel with the upturned ends 19 and 20. Each side bar 33 has an offset portion 34 extending toward the bed 4 and substantially at right angles thereto and in the plane of the transverse bed rods 22 and substantially parallel thereto. Each offset portion 34 is connected to the bed portion 21 of at least one and preferably two of the elongate bed rods 18. The top bars 31 and 32 and their respective side bars 33 thereby from the opposed sides 7 and 8 of the dispenser 1.

The bag engaging and holding member is illustrated as an elongate rod 35 which is movably mounted on the dispenser 1 and movable between the sides 7 and -8. The bag holding rod 35 has an elongate bag engaging portion 36 for yieldingly engaging and holding the bottom portion adjacent the flap or tab 16 of the top or foremost bag 2 in the stack 3 of folded bags within the dispenser 1. In the illustrated structure, the elongate bag holding rod is pivotally mounted on the container bed 4 and is illustrated as a rod formed in a U-shape having arms 37 and 38 each having one end mounted on and extending outwardly from opposite ends of the bag engaging portion 36.

Each of the arms 37 and 38 has a loop 39 at an opposite or other end of the bag engaging portion 36. The loops 39 are mounted on opposite ends of a support rod '40 which is mounted on the bed portions 21 on the elongate bed rods 18 and is parallel with the transverse bed rods 22. The support rod 40 is mounted adjacent the end 6. Each of the arms 37 and 38 has a bend 41 intermediate their ends thereby forming a mounting portion 42 adjacent the loop 39 and an offset portion 43 between the bend 41 and the bag engaging portion 36 whereby the mounting portions 42 extend outwardly from the bed 4 and the offset portions 43 extend toward the stack 3 thereby positioning the bag engaging portion 36 to engage the bottom portion 15 of the bag 2.

Suitable spring means engage the dispenser l1 and the bag holding rod 35 to urge the bag engaging portion 36 thereof into yielding engagement with the bottom portion 15 of the foremost folded paper bag 2 whereby the flap or tab 16 projects outwardly from the stack 3 thereby being positioned to be grasped by a person for removing the foremost bag. In the illustrated structure, the spring means is a spiral spring 44 sleeved on opposite ends of the support rod 40. Each of the spiral springs 44 is positioned between the bed portion 21 of the outermost elongate bed rod 18 at respective opposite edges of the bed 4 and the loop 39 of the respective arm 37 or 38. Each spring 44 included one arm 45 extending outwardly from one end and having a U-shaped loop 46 at the end of the one arm 45 and extending outwardly therefrom for engaging the bed portion 21 of the outermost elongate bed rod '18 at the respective side of the bed 4. An arm 47 extends outwardly from the opposite end of the spring 44 and has a U-shaped loop 48 at the end thereof and extending outwardly therefrom for engaging the mounting portion 42 of the respective arm 37 or 38. The springs 44 cooperate to urge the bag engaging portion 36 into yielding engagement with the bottom portion 15 adjacent the flap or tab 16 of the foremost bag 2 thereby urging the tab 16 outwardly from the bag whereby the tab 16 may be grasped for removing a single bag from the stack 3.

In use the U-shaped bends 23 are placed to engage the support projections 24 of the support surface 25. The elongate bag holding rod 35 is moved outwardly from the bed 4 against the resistance of the springs 44 and the stack 3 of folded paper bags 2 is placed in the dispenser 1 in a position having the bottom portion 15 positioned to be yieldingly engaged by the engaging portion 36 adjacent the flap or tab 16.

A modified paper bag dispenser 50 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 to 7 inclusive. It also is an open container having a bed 51 and opposed ends 52 and 53 and opposed sides 54 and 55 substantially at right angles to each other thereby defining the open container for receiving a stack 56 of folded paper bags 2.

The modified paper bag dispenser 50 includes a pair of U-shaped bag holding rods 57 and 58 pivotally mounted on the opposed ends 52 and 53 respectively. A loop 59 is formed by a bight in one end of a pair of spaced arms 60 and 61 of each of the U-shaped bag holding rods 57 and 58. A bag engaging portion 62 connects the opposite or other end of the spaced arm 60 and 61 of each of the bag holding rods 57 and 58 thereby form- 4 ing the respective U-shaped bag holding rods. The loops 59 are pivotally mounted on opposite ends of an elongate intermediate end rod 63 which is mounted on each of the opposed ends 52 and 53 between an elongate top end rod 64 and the bed 51.

A spiral spring 65 is sleeved on each of the opposite ends of each of the intermediate end rods 63 and each has one arm 66 extending outwardly from one end and having a U-shaped loop 67 extending outwardly from the end of the one arm 66 for engaging an upturned end 68 of an outermost elongate bed rod 69 and each spring 65 has a second arm 70 extending outwardly from the other end of the spring '65 and having a U-shaped loop 71 extending outwardly from the second arm 70 for engaging one of the arms 60 or 61 of the bag holding rod 57 and 58. In the illustrated structure, the bag holding rod 57 engages the top portion 17 of the foremost paper bag in the stack 56 and the bag holding rod 58 engages the bottom portion 15 adjacent the flap or tab 16 thereby urging same outwardly from the foremost bag 2 to a position to be grasped by a person in removing a single bag from the stack.

To install the stack 56 in the dispenser 50, the bag holding rod 57 is moved outwardly from the bed 51 against the resistance of the springs 65 and. one end of the stack 56 is inserted under the bag engaging portion 62 whereby when the bag engaging rod 57 is released, the bag engaging portion 62 engages the top portion 17 of the foremost bag in the stack. The bag holding rod 58 is then moved outwardly from the bed 51 and the other end of the stack 56 is inserted between the bed 51 and the bag holding rod 58 whereby when the bag holding rod 58 is released, the bag engaging portion 62 engages the bottom portion 15 of the foremost bag 2 adjacent the flap or tab 16.

It is to be understood that while I have illustrated and described certain forms of my invention, it is not to be limited to these specific forms or arrangement of parts herein described and shown.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A paper bag dispenser for mounting on a support surface, said dispenser comprising:

(a) an open container in the form of a Wire basket having a bed and opposed ends consisting of a plurality of spaced elongate bed rods each having opposed upturned ends and a plurality of transverse bed rods connected to said spaced elongate bed rods to cooperate therewithin forming the container bed, and a pair of elongate end bars with each end bar mounted on each of said opposed upturned ends of each of said bed rods at the top thereof,

(b) a top bar portion extending outwardly from each end of each of said end bars with said top bars each having a depending side bar terminating in an inturned portion arranged substantially parallel with said transverse bed rods and connected to at least one of said elongate bed rods whereby said top bar and side bar extending from an end bar forms opposed side portions with the portions from one end spaced from the portion from the other to form an access opening, said container receiving a stack of folded paper bags on the bed between the ends and side members, each bag in said stack having a folded bottom portion with an outwardly projecting tab when same is the foremost bag of said stack, the spacing between the side portion providing side access to bags in the container,

(c) an elongate bag holding member having spaced arms with a bag holding rod connecting one end of each arm and forming a generally U-shaped member, said arms having greater spacing than the width of the bags whereby the bags may pass therebetween,

((1) means adjacent one end of the container pivotally mounting the other ends of the arms with said arms extending therefrom toward the other end of the container, said arms each having a bend therein intermediate the ends thereof whereby the arms are generally L-shaped with one leg of each forming mounting portions adjacent the pivotal mounting means extending from the bed portion a distance substantially the distance of a maximum thickness of a stack of bags adapted to be received in the container,

(d) a pair of spring means one mounted on each side of said container bed and having portions engaging the mounting portion of the respective arm and said bed rod adjacent respective edges of said container bed to urge the bag engaging portion of said bag holding rod into yielding engagement with said bottom portion adjacent said projecting tab of said foremost bag in said stack,

(f) the spaced arms of the bag holding rod being longer than the space between side portions whereby said arms extend across said space and the depending side bars limit lateral movement of the bag holding rod.

5 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,666,355 4/1928 Sether 21 1-51 1,899,376 2/1933 Westgaard 21151 10 3,288,303 11/1966 Dahl 21151 STANLEY TOLLBERG, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 15 

